There's Always Hope
by BadWolfGirl01
Summary: While hopping dimensions, Rose meets a familiar face. (Written for EightxRose August-set during the Time War. Old fic. Oneshot.)


**Older fic posted on AO3. Not my best work. I've never seen Classic Who nor have I had the opportunity to read the EDAs, so apologies if the characterization is off.**

Rose heaved a sigh. It'd been so long—she was beginning to dread the jumps, even though they were her only hope of saving the multiverse.

Finding the Doctor had fallen to second on the list after nearly two years.

"Ready, Rose?" Mickey asked, and she nodded. Her best mate grinned. "I've got a good feeling about this one."

Then the world dissolved.

When she landed, Rose took a moment to observe her surroundings. They were strange, someplace she'd never been—not a surprise. The voice calling, "EX-TER-MINATE," on the other hand, was all too familiar.

A gentleman dressed like a hero straight from the pages of _Pride and Prejudice_ stood in the middle of the alley, not far from her, and through his mop of chestnut curls Rose could just make out the outline of a Dalek. Torchwood training kicking in, she yanked her—rather large—gun into position, shouting "Duck!"

The man did so, and Rose pulled the trigger, engulfing the Dalek in a blast of electricity. The metal creature exploded in flames, and Rose grinned ferally.

"You can put the gun down now," the man said from his position on the ground.

"Could," she told him, "But I don't know if there're any others around, an' I don't want to take chances."

"That was the only one. Trust me when I say that were there others, they'd be here by now." The man got to his feet. "Thank you," he said, his voice softer.

"You're welcome," Rose replied. "I've never seen a Dalek by itself. Well, other than that time in Van Statten's museum, but that was different."

The man frowned. "You've encountered Daleks before, Miss…?"

"My name's Rose, an' yeah, I have. Too many times. They call me the Abomination," the blonde answered.

"Twenty-first century Earth accent," the man murmured suddenly. "Yet the gun and the technology on your wrist are beyond that time period." His gaze sharpened. "Who are you really, Rose?"

"You're a time traveler," Rose breathed, staring at him in shock. Oh, it all made sense now. "Wait—a hundred universes, an' I've only ever seen Daleks in one. Which makes this—they were after you. So you must be—oh, hell."

"Excuse me?"

"You're the Doctor," she told him.

"How did you know that?" the Doctor asked, his voice hostile.

"Shoulda guessed it right away. Who else has that kind of fashion sense?" she asked with a small smile. "Oh, I've bolloxed this all up."

"May I ask how, exactly?"

"'M too early. An' you don't know me when we meet, which means that you don't—didn't—oh, damn," she sighed. "Listen, Doctor, eventually I'll be someone you put your faith in without hesitation, but right now you don't know me. I need you to trust me. I can't tell you anything more than what I've already said, an' you need to forget this ever happened."

"You're a future companion," the Time Lord guessed. "But, then, why aren't you with future me?"

"Where's your companion?" Rose returned. "'M lookin' for you, that's all I can say."

"As to the first, I'd never bring a companion into Gallifreyan politics—not that the Council would let me, anyway." He chuckled humourously. "Looking for me implies that we got separated, yet you mentioned multiple universes. Care to explain?"

"I got trapped in a parallel world, an' 'm trying to find my way back."

"Travel to parallel worlds is simple, my dear. If I want you back, why haven't I come and gotten you yet?"

Rose gritted her teeth. "D'ya have to be so rude? Rude an' not ginger no matter the face," she muttered under her breath. Something he'd said struck her then, and she froze. "Gallifreyan politics. Oh, hell. You're in the Time War."

"You know how it ends," the Doctor realized. "Please—"

A beep from the dimension cannon cut him off. "I've got to go," Rose said hurriedly. "Jus'—Doctor,"

"No, wait, my dear. Please, just tell me—Does it end? The War?"

Rose swallowed thickly, closing her eyes, then stepped closer to him. "Yes," she whispered. "It ends." Then: "I know you'll forget this, but jus' remember—there's always hope." She brushed her lips against his, tears overflowing as the cannon yanked her away.

~o~

"There's always hope," the Warrior whispered, staring at the ornamented box. He wasn't sure where he'd heard the words, but they echoed in his head, as a phantom pair of lips touched his, giving him the strength to press the red button and slaughter his people. "There's always hope."


End file.
